U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service Washington, D.C. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33 of title 38 U.S.C.)

U. S. Department of Veterans AffairsEducation ServiceWashington, D.C.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill The Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33 of title 38 U.S.C.)(chapter 33 of title 38 U.S.C.)

22

ObjectivesObjectives

This presentation will provide you with an overview of the following:

Education Benefits Background Eligibility to the Post-9/11 GI Bill Payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program Transfer of Entitlement Overpayment of Benefits Plans - Timeline

33

Education Benefits Usage RatesEducation Benefits Usage Rates

Percentage of eligible persons who participated in an education benefit program

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

MGIB-AD (Ch 30) 2002-2008

MGIB-AD (Ch 30) 1985-2001

Vietnam Era/Post Vietnam Era

Post Korea Era

Korean Era

WWII Era

44

VA Education BeneficiariesVA Education Beneficiaries

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Number of participants in VA education programs (in thousands)

55

Beneficiaries by Training TypeBeneficiaries by Training Type

Beneficiaries by Training Type for Fiscal Year 2008: Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), Reserve Educational

Assistance Program (REAP), MGIB-Selected Reserve

4-year college46%

2-year college36%

Graduate8%

Graduate

4-year college

2-year college

NCD

Apprenticeship

On-the-Job Training

Correspondence

Licensure andCertificationTution Assistance TopUpFlight

66

Education Benefit ProgramsEducation Benefit Programs

Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty (MGIB-AD, MGIB, or

chapter 30) Montgomery GI Bill—Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR or

chapter 1606)• DoD program - VA administers for DoD

Reserve Educational Assistance (REAP or chapter 1607)• DoD program - VA administers for DoD

Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP or chapter 32)

National Call to Service (NCS)• Dod program - VA administers for DoD

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA or chapter 35)

Post-9/11 GI Bill Overview

8888

Post-9/11 GI Bill EligibilityPost-9/11 GI Bill Eligibility

An individual who served on active duty after 09/10/01 may be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill if the individual—

Served for an aggregate period of at least 90 days.

Exception: An individual discharged due to a service-connected disability after serving at least 30 continuous days on active duty after 9/10/01, may also be eligible.

9999

Eligibility CriteriaEligibility Criteria

*Excludes time in Basic Military Training and/or Skill Training

Service Requirements (after 9/10/01 an individual must serve an

aggregate of)

Payment Tiers Percentage

At least 36 months 100

At least 30 continuous days on active duty (Must be discharged due to service-connected disability)

100

At least 30 months, but less than 36 months 90

At least 24 months, but less than 30 months 80

*At least 18 months, but less than 24 months 70



*At least 90 days, but less than 06 months 40

1010

Payment TiersPayment Tiers

Calculating qualifying service to determine tier level— Less than 24 months: Entry level training

and skill training performed after 9/10/01 must be excluded from the total aggregate service.

At least 24 months but less than 30 months: VA must exclude entry level and skill training time to see if the individual qualifies at the 70% tier level. If so, VA must pay 70% instead of 80%.

At least 30 months of service: Entry level and skill training is included in total service.

11111111

Qualifying active duty does not include the following:

Title 32 AGR; or Service Academy Contract Period; or ROTC contract period under 10 U.S.C.

2107(b); or Service terminated due to an erroneous or

defective enlistment; or Service used for loan repayment; or Selected Reserve Service used to establish

eligibility under chapter 30, 1606, or 1607.


12121212

In order to retain eligibility after meeting the service requirements, an individual must—

Continue on active duty; or

Be honorably discharged from Armed Forces; or

Be honorably discharged for further service in a reserve component; or


13131313


Be honorably discharged and placed on the retired list, temporary disability retired list, transferred to Fleet Reserve, or to Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or

Be discharged or released for: Injury Existing Prior to Service (EPTS),

Hardship (HDSP), or

Condition Interfered with Service (CIWD).

14141414

Period of EligibilityPeriod of Eligibility

Generally, individuals will remain eligible for benefits for 15 years from:

Date of last discharge from active duty service of at least 90 continuous days.

If an individual establishes eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill by aggregating multiple periods of active duty service of less than 90 days each, the individual will have 15 years from the last period of service used to meet the minimum service requirements for eligibility.

15151515

Period of EligibilityPeriod of Eligibility

EXAMPLE: John is a pilot in the Air Force Reserve with the following periods of 30+ days of call-up service:

05/15/07 – 06/13/07 10/03/07 – 11/11/07 03/12/08 – 05/10/08 10/30/08 – 11/28/08

He meets the eligibility minimum requirement of 90 aggregate days of service during the 3/12/08 – 5/10/08 call-up.

John is eligible through 5/10/23 (delimiting date is 5/11/23), 15 years after meeting the minimum service requirements for eligibility. He can only receive a new period of eligibility if he has a subsequent period of active duty service of at least 90 continuous days.

16161616

Post-9/11 GI Bill ElectionsPost-9/11 GI Bill Elections

VA’s GI Bill website has some case scenarios to review to help individuals to compare VA benefit programs.

When reviewing them, keep in mind that—

Each student’s situation is unique. Case scenarios should be used as

“things to consider” but not as hard and fast rules.

17171717

Post-9/11 GI Bill ElectionsPost-9/11 GI Bill Elections

An individual who, as of August 1, 2009, is— Eligible for MGIB-AD (chapter 30), MGIB-SR (chapter

1606) or REAP (chapter 1607); A member of the Armed Forces who is eligible to receive

chapter 30 benefits and who is making the basic $1200 contribution toward chapter 30; or

A member of the Armed Forces who previously declined to elect chapter 30

AND who is eligible for chapter 33 (on the date of election), may elect chapter 33 in lieu of either chapter 30, 1606, or 1607. The election is an irrevocable election.

Election must be in writing Use newly revised VA Form 22-1990 (will be available on VA’s

website by May 1st)

1818

Things to Consider When ElectingThings to Consider When Electing

If tuition is waived at your school (you are not charged), you are enrolled more than ½ time, and you are not on active duty or taking all of your classes online, then you should consider—

– Whether or not the housing stipend for your school’s ZIP code is more than your MGIB, MGIB-SR, or REAP monthly amount (if you paid $600 for “buy-up,” include appropriate amount per month, up to $150 for full-time training).

– If you are not eligible for the 100% tier (based on your length of service), reduce the amount of the monthly housing stipend by the appropriate percentage (40%-90%) and compare to MGIB, MGIB-SR, or REAP (include buy-up) monthly amount.

1919

Things to Consider When Things to Consider When ElectingElecting

If tuition is waived at your school (you are not charged) and you are enrolled at exactly ½ time training, you should consider the following—

–You are not eligible to receive a tuition and fees payment or the monthly housing allowance under chapter 33.

–You will be able to receive the monthly rate payable for ½ time training (including an increase for the $600 buy-up, if applicable) under the program you are currently eligible for (MGIB, MGIB-SR, or REAP) if you do not elect chapter 33.

2020


If tuition is waived at your school and you are enrolled at less than ½ time, you should consider the following—

–You may receive a monthly payment for MGIB and/or MGIB-SR kickers under the program you are currently eligible for (MGIB, MGIB-SR, or REAP) if you do not elect chapter 33.

–You may receive a lump sum payment under chapter 33 for—

• MGIB and/or MGIB-SR kickers; and

• The books and supplies stipend.

2121


The ending date of your period of eligibility for your current benefit (e.g., 10 years for MGIB) and the ending date you would receive under chapter 33.

Individuals will receive the same amount for MGIB and MGIB-SR kickers whether they receive a lump sum payment under chapter 33 or monthly payments under their existing program.

22222222

Generally, entitlement provisions under the Post-9/11 GI Bill are similar to those under other education benefit programs:

Individuals may receive up to 36 months of benefits;

If an individual’s entitlement exhausts during a quarter or semester, benefits may be extended until the end of the term (except for dependents using TOE);

Individuals eligible for more than one program administered by VA are limited to 48 months of benefits using a combination of programs.

EntitlementEntitlement

23232323

EXCEPTION: Individuals transferring to the Post-9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30) will be limited to the amount of their remaining chapter 30 entitlement.

This provision applies when an individual:

Is eligible for MGIB-AD on August 1, 2009; Is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill on the date of

the election; and Elects to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits in lieu of

MGIB-AD benefits.

NOTE: This provision does not prevent an individual who is eligible for more than one benefit program from receiving a maximum of 48 months of combined benefits.


24242424

EXAMPLE: Dave used 28 months of benefits under MGIB-SR (chapter 1606) before establishing eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Because he may receive up to 48 months of benefits, he is entitled to 20 months of benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Maximum combined entitlement 48 monthsUsed under MGIB-SR 28 monthsAvailable Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement 20 months


25252525

EXAMPLE: Jamie previously established eligibility for the MGIB-AD and used 10 of 36 months of benefits. She establishes eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The law limits her to the amount of her remaining MGIB-AD benefits. Therefore, she is entitled to 26 months of benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Original MGIB-AD entitlement 36 monthsUsed MGIB-AD entitlement 10 monthsAvailable Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement 26 months


26262626

EXAMPLE: Robert established eligibility for the MGIB-AD and used 14 of his 36 months of benefits. While in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), he was called to active duty and established eligibility for REAP.

On August 1, 2009, he is eligible for MGIB-AD and REAP. If he elects to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill in lieu of another benefit, the amount of entitlement he has will be determined based on his election.

If Robert elects the Post-9/11 Bill in lieu of REAP, he is entitled to up to 34 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement:

Maximum combined benefits 48 monthsUsed REAP entitlement 14 monthsAvailable Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement 34 months


27272727

EXAMPLE (cont.): If Robert elects the Post-9/11 Bill in lieu of MGIB-AD, his Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement will be limited to his remaining MGIB-AD entitlement:

Original MGIB-AD entitlement 36 monthsUsed MGIB-AD entitlement 14 monthsAvailable Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement 22 months

Although his Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement is limited to his remaining MGIB-AD entitlement, he will also remain eligible for REAP. He may use up to 12 months of benefits under REAP, thereby allowing him to receive a maximum of 48 months of combined benefits.


28282828

Approved ProgramsApproved Programs

All programs approved under chapter 30 and offered at an institution of higher learning (IHL). IHLs are degree granting institutions.

Individuals who were previously eligible for chapter 30, 1606, or 1607 may continue to receive benefits for approved programs not offered by IHLs (flight*, correspondence, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, preparatory courses, and national tests) – Individuals will be paid AS IF they are still receiving

benefits under chapter 30, 1606, or 1607– No books and supplies stipend or housing allowance.

* Flight may be approved under chapter 33 if part of a degree program at an IHL.

29292929

Benefit PaymentsBenefit Payments

Tuition and Fees

Monthly Housing Allowance

Books and Supplies Stipend

Kickers/College Fund/”Buy-Up”

Yellow Ribbon Program

Miscellaneous Payments

30303030

Chapter 33 Effective DateChapter 33 Effective Date

August 1, 2009

Chapter 33 benefits can be paid for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. No payments may be made for training pursued before that date.

3131

Tuition and FeesTuition and Fees

Established charges means the actual charge for tuition and fees that similarly circumstanced nonveterans enrolled in the program of education are required to pay.

Fees means any mandatory charges (other than tuition, room, and board) that are applied by the institution of higher learning for pursuit of an approved program of education. Fees include, but are not limited to: – health premiums, – freshman fees, – graduation fees, and – lab fees.

Fees do not include those charged for a study abroad course(s) unless the course(s) is a mandatory requirement for completion of the approved program of education.

3232


Schools must report charged tuition and fees.

State benefits are governed by State law:– If State prohibits public IHL from charging student

tuition (and/or fees), no charges should be reported to VA.

– If State waives tuition (and/or fees) after the student is charged, tuition and fees should be reported to VA.

VA cannot consider financial aid or scholarships when determining a student’s payment.

– Financial aid offices are responsible for determining if an individual remains entitled to aid or scholarships based on VA benefits.

– VA does consider federal military tuition assistance (TA) when an individual requests “Top-Up”.

33333333


Individuals on active duty are eligible for the lesser of:– Tuition and fees charged; or– The amount of charges that exceed the amount paid

by the military’s federal tuition assistance (TA).

Individuals not on active duty are eligible for the applicable percentage (based on aggregate active duty service) of the lesser of:– Tuition and fees charged; or– Highest amount of tuition per credit hour and fees per

term charged for full-time, undergraduate training at a public institution of higher learning in the state where the student is enrolled.Note: Tuition and Fees payments are paid directly to the

school.

3434

Tuition and Fees Tuition and Fees

An individual eligible for the 100% tier will have all tuition and fees* paid if he or she is—

– Enrolled at a public institution; – In an undergraduate program; and– Charged in-State tuition and fees.

An individual at one of the 40%-90% tiers, enrolled as above, will receive 40%-90% of the charged tuition and fees*

*Assumes the individual has months of entitlement available for the enrollment period

3535


VA lists each State’s maximum amount of in-State tuition per credit hour on the GI Bill website

VA compares actual tuition charged per credit hour vs. maximum in-State tuition payable per credit hour and then pays the lesser amount

EXAMPLE: Maximum in-State tuition rate is $500 per credit hour. Joe is at the 100% tier for chapter 33. Joe’s school reports he is enrolled in 15 credit hours for the Fall ‘09 semester and is charged $3,000 tuition.

–Determine in-State maximum: $500 x 15 = $7,500.–VA pays lesser amount: $3,000.

3636


VA lists each State’s maximum fees per term (for a quarter, semester, or non-standard term) on the GI Bill website

VA compares actual fees charged for term vs. maximum in-State fees per term and pays the lesser amount

EXAMPLE (cont.): Maximum in-State fees rate is $1,000 per term. Joe’s school reports he was charged $900 in fees for the Fall ‘09 semester.

– VA pays lesser amount: $900

Joe is eligible at 100% tier level (based on length of service), so his total T&F payment = $3,900 for Fall ’09.

37373737

Calculating tuition and fees payment if individual has less than 36 months of service:

Using previous example, except Joe is eligible for 50% tier

VA determined 100% tier payment is $3,000 for tuition and $900 for fees

50% of those amounts is $1,500 for tuition and $450 for fees

Total due to Joe at 50% tier is $1,950

VA pays $1,950 to school on behalf of Joe


3838

Tuition & FeesTuition & Fees

Changes to VA-Once will allow schools to submit:

– Tuition and Fees amounts separately.

– The dollar amount the school will contribute for a student who is eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program.

3939

Tuition & Fees Payment to Tuition & Fees Payment to SchoolsSchools

Benefit payments made to the school will be direct deposited via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).– If EFT payment information is unavailable,

payment will be sent to the school’s mailing address as currently on file in WEAMS.

– Payments will include student identification information as well as the semester, quarter, or term the payment is covering.

Very Important: It is critical that schools ensure their EFT data is current. If EFT data changes, it is imperative the schools notify VACO immediately.

40404040

Monthly Housing AllowanceMonthly Housing Allowance

Equivalent to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents.

Amount determined by ZIP code of the IHL where the student is enrolled (Student does not have to live in same ZIP code)– http://perdiem.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/bah.html

Prorated based on the percentage of the individual’s payment tier (i.e.: 40% to 100%).

Active duty members, anyone training at ½ time or less, and those pursuing training solely by distance learning are not eligible for the monthly housing allowance.

Note: Housing allowance payments are paid directly to the eligible person on a monthly basis.

4141

Monthly Housing AllowanceMonthly Housing Allowance

Individual does not have be paying rent, room and board, or mortgage to qualify

If a husband and wife are each eligible for chapter 33 and attending school more than ½ time, then each of them may be paid a separate monthly housing allowance

Three children living at home using transferred benefits could also each receive a monthly housing allowance

4242

Parent/Supplemental SchoolsParent/Supplemental Schools

Parent/Supplemental School – Individuals will be paid based on enrollment at each school, even if in different states:– Tuition and fees paid to each school that

submits enrollment certification

– Monthly housing allowance paid based on primary school or based on where resident courses are being pursued

43434343

Books and Supplies StipendBooks and Supplies Stipend

Up to $1,000 per academic year– $41.67 per credit hour– Up to 24 credit hours in a single academic year– Lump sum payment (each quarter, semester or

term attended) paid directly to the individual

Prorated based on the percentage of the maximum benefit payable

Active duty members are not eligible

4444

Books and Supplies StipendBooks and Supplies Stipend

Example:

– If Susan enrolls in 15 credit hours for the Fall Term, she will receive a lump sum payment of $625.05 ($41.67 x 15 credit hours = $625.05)

– During the Spring term she enrolls in an additional 12 hours. Susan is only eligible to receive the books and supplies stipend for 9 of the 12 credit hours, she can not receive payment for more than the maximum of 24 credit hours in a single academic year. Her payment for the Spring term will be $375.03 ($41.67 x 9 = $375.03)

4545

Kickers/College Fund/”Buy-up”Kickers/College Fund/”Buy-up”

MGIB (ch30) or MGIB-SR (ch1606) kickers– Paid in lump sum to student each enrollment

period based on rate of pursuit

– Paid to spouses/children if they are using transferred benefits

New chapter 33 kicker – Not available yet

– Will be paid with the monthly housing allowance

$600 buy-up does not transfer to chapter 33

46464646

Yellow Ribbon Program Yellow Ribbon Program

Only individuals entitled to the 100 percent benefit rate (based on service requirements) may receive this funding– Spouses and children using transferred

benefits from a service member are also eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program

IHLs may voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition and fees costs that exceed the highest in-state undergraduate tuition and fees for the State where the IHL is located

4747

Yellow Ribbon ProgramYellow Ribbon Program

VA will match each additional dollar that an IHL contributes, up to 50% of the difference between the student’s tuition benefit and the total cost of tuition and fees.

The combined amounts may not exceed the full cost of the IHL’s established charges.

Yellow Ribbon payments will be issued to the school on behalf of each student via EFT (or paper check if EFT information is not available).

Payments will include student identification information and the semester, quarter or term the payment is covering.

4848


IHL must agree to:

Select eligible students on a first-come-first-served basis; Provide contributions during current academic year and all

subsequent years if student maintains satisfactory progress; State maximum number of students for academic year; State how contributions will be made (grant, scholarship, or

other); State yearly maximum dollar amount per student by specifying

a dollar amount for each:

– Student; or

– Undergraduate, graduate, and/or doctoral student; or

– Student enrolled in a specified college or professional school; Provide maximum amount payable to student each term (not to

exceed yearly maximum dollar amount for student).

4949


Yellow Ribbon paid as lump sum directly to school

Yellow Ribbon Information will be displayed in the Web-Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) or on the GI Bill website– Maximum Yellow Ribbon Payment information– Maximum number of participants at the

school

5050

Yellow Ribbon ProgramYellow Ribbon Program

EXAMPLE:

– IHL agreed to pay $1,000 during academic year for each Yellow Ribbon student.

– Jim’s tuition and fees for Fall ’09 are $6,500. VA pays maximum in-State T&F of $4,000 under the basic Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit.

– IHL’s Yellow Ribbon contribution is $1,000 and VA matches that amount, making a $1,000 payment to the school. Jim must pay remainder of $500.

– Jim has used maximum contribution from school for academic year.

5151

12/01/08 – Sent Yellow Ribbon Program informational letter to IHLs

01/05/09 – Sent Yellow Ribbon Program inquiry letter to IHLs to determine the level of interest

March 2009 – Received approximately 1,000 surveys from interested IHLs

April 2009 – VA will begin accepting Yellow Ribbon agreements

June 2009 – VA will post IHLs participating in Yellow Ribbon on the GI Bill website

Yellow Ribbon Program TimelineYellow Ribbon Program Timeline

52525252

Miscellaneous PaymentsMiscellaneous Payments

Licensing and Certification Tests– Eligible individuals may be reimbursed for one

licensing or certification test

– Test must be approved for VA benefits

– Test must be taken on or after August 1, 2009

– Reimbursement may not exceed $2,000

NOTE: Payment issued directly to the student in a lump sum

53535353


Rural Relocation Benefit– One-time payment of $500 for individuals

who reside in a county with six or less persons per square mile, if individual

• Physically relocates at least 500 miles, or

• Travels by air to attend school if no other transportation exist

NOTE: Payments issued directly to the student in a lump sum

54545454


Interval Payments:– Payment of the monthly housing allowance may be

authorized during intervals.– Follows current interval payment rules.– Entitlement charged for interval payments.

Extending payment to end of term:– If individual exhausts entitlement during the

quarter or semester, we can pay to end of the term, unless the individual exhausted 48 months of benefits.

– Spouses and children using transferred entitlement are limited to 36 months of entitlement; entitlement may not be extended to end of term.

55555555


Work-Study:– Individuals training at a rate of pursuit of at

least 75% may apply for work-study

Tutorial Assistance:– Individual’s training at a rate of pursuit of at

least 50% may receive tutorial assistance

– Amount payable cannot exceed $100 per month

– Total amount payable cannot exceed $1,200

56565656

Refund of ContributionsRefund of Contributions

Available to category I participants only - not available to individuals eligible for chapter 30 under category III or IV (VEAP conversions or voluntary/involuntary separations).

A proportional amount of the basic $1200 contribution will be included in the last monthly housing allowance payment when chapter 33 entitlement exhausts.

Individuals will not receive a refund of chapter 30 contributions if they—– Do not exhaust entitlement under chapter 33, or– Are not eligible to receive the monthly housing

allowance when entitlement exhausts. Refund of $600 additional contribution is not

authorized.

Transfer of EntitlementTransfer of Entitlement

Department of Defense BenefitDepartment of Defense BenefitAdministered by VAAdministered by VA

58585858


Only the following entities may authorize transfer of benefits—– Secretary of Defense (when the Coast Guard

is operating as a service of the Navy)– Secretaries of Army, Navy, or Air Force– Secretary of Homeland Security (for Coast

Guard)

PHS/NOAA members are not eligible to transfer benefits as only the Secretaries above may offer transfer of benefits

5959


To be approved to transfer member must—– Be in Armed Forces on 8/1/09, and– Have completed 6 years in the Armed Forces, and– Agree to serve 4 more years

DoD/DHS may prescribe rules to address situations when individuals cannot (by military rules or retirement) serve 4 more years after 8/1/09.– VA can’t make these decisions– If DoD does offer transfer of benefits to this group

of individuals, VA will post this information on the GI Bill website

6060


An individual approved to transfer may—

– Transfer up to 36 months of benefits (unless DoD/DHS restricts number of months an individual may transfer).

– Transfer to spouse, child, or children in any amount up to amount transferor has available or amount approved by DoD/DHS.

– Revoke or modify a transfer request for any unused benefits unless the transferor’s 15-year eligibility period is ended.

– Not transfer benefits to a new dependent once the transferor is no longer a member of Armed Forces.

6161


Spouses—– May use after transferor completes 6 years in Armed

Forces

– Paid at transferor’s rate - Cannot be paid housing allowance or books and supplies stipend if the transferor is on active duty when the spouse is receiving benefits

– Can, unless the transferor revokes transfer, continue to use benefits if divorced after the transfer

– Can use benefits up to transferor’s 15-year eligibility period expires unless transferor specifies an earlier ending date

– Under law, benefits are not marital property and are not subject to division in a divorce or other civil proceedings

6262


Children—– Must be transferred to an unmarried child who has not

reached the age of 18 or, if in school, before child is 23 years of age

– May use after transferor completes 10 years in Armed Forces

– To commence training, child must have–• attained age 18; or • completed requirements of secondary school diploma (or

equivalency certificate)

– Receives veteran rate, including housing allowance & book stipend, even if transferor is on active duty

– May use until age 26 – even if transferor’s 15-year eligibility period ended

– May continue to use benefits after marriage (unless transferor revokes)

6363


IMPORTANT !!

– Transferor and individual using transferred entitlement are jointly liable for any overpayment of chapter 33 benefits

Overpayment of Benefits

6565

Overpayment of BenefitsOverpayment of Benefits

VA will determine the amount of an overpayment for an individual in receipt of chapter 33 benefits

An individual who does not complete one or more courses in the certified period of enrollment, and who does not substantiate mitigating circumstances for not completing such course(s), will be charged an overpayment equal to the amount of ALL educational assistance paid for such course(s) for that period of enrollment (except for the books and supplies stipend).

6666


Six credit hour exclusion still applies to first reduction or withdrawal

If mitigating circumstances exist, student may be due partial payment

– Tuition and fees (and Yellow Ribbon) prorated to date last attended for complete withdrawals and end of the month for reductions

– Housing allowance paid until end of month in which the reduction or withdrawal occurred

6767


The student is responsible for any overpayment incurred as a result of not completing courses.

In the event a student does not complete a course, schools should follow their established student refund policy.

Important: Tuition and Fees payments are paid to the school on behalf of the student; overpayments for Tuition and Fees will be charged to the student.

6868


School must make a refund (return payment) to VA—– When students never attend classes for a

certified period of enrollment.

Returned payments must include the student identification information as well as the intended quarter, semester, or term for which the payment was made.

6969


If an individual is “called up” to active duty, VA will restore entitlement if the individual does not receive credit for the course. In these instances VA will—– Not charge an overpayment for chapter 33

tuition and fees payment or Yellow Ribbon benefits for the certified enrollment period;

– Not charge an overpayment of the book stipend for the enrollment period; and

– Discontinue the monthly housing allowance at the end of the month during which the individual last attended.

7070


VA’s Debt Management Center (DMC) will send notification of the overpayment and provide due process rights.

Notifications will also inform the individual of the overpayment amount and how to contact VA’s Debt Management Center to establish a repayment schedule.

Overpayments are collected by the VA Debt Management Center.

7171


In most cases, overpayments will not be collected during the due process period, which is 30 days from the day of notification.

Students with existing overpayments on their record may attend school; however, their benefit payments (including Tuition and Fees) may be applied to the overpayment until it is repaid.

7272

Plans - TimelinePlans - Timeline

May 1st – VA accepts applications Spring thru early July—VA will issue certificates

(letters) of eligibility (COE) COE will show—

– Payment tier (40%-100% based on qualifying service)– 15-year eligibility date (if individual is not currently

on active duty)– Number of months of entitlement– Approved program (if individual indicated program

desired)

July 6th – accept enrollment certifications from schools for chapter 33 claims and begin processing claims for payment

7373

Plans - TimelinePlans - Timeline

August 1st – Begin issuing payment tapes to Treasury for:– Tuition and fees payment– Books and supplies stipend– Kicker/college fund

August 3 – First payments released by Treasury September 1 – Housing allowance for those who

attended school in August October 1 – Housing allowance for those who

first attended in September

Note: These dates apply to those claims processed and completed by VA prior to August 1, 2009

74747474

ReferencesReferences

GI Bill Website– www.gibill.va.gov

• Sign up for FAQ updates!• Sign up for RSS feeds to be notified of any change on

web page (orange block on page that says RSS)

GI Bill Call Center (VA staffed)– 1-888-GIBILL-1

Yellow Ribbon Mailbox– [email protected]

75757575

U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service Washington, D.C. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33 of title 38 U.S.C.)

Documents

months of service

period of service

qualifying service

total service

gi bill eligibility

service epts

service ciwd

aggregate days of service